Computing Librarian

Computing Librarian

George Mason University Libraries seeks a creative, dynamic, teaching and research-oriented individual to fill the newly created School of Computing Librarian position. George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason’s academic and culturally inclusive environment.

The Computing Librarian will work principally with the School of Computing, and also support the Institute for Digital InnovAtion (IDIA), a new and developing center aiming to enhance multi-disciplinary, collaborative research processes that shape the future of our digital society, promoting equality, well-being, security and prosperity.

This position will report to the Lead, Science and Technology Team and Mercer Library, and requires a background in computer science (strongly preferred), or engineering, or a STEM related field.

Responsibilities include:

• Reference and Research Consulting
• Teaching, Learning and Digital Literacies
• Collections and Content
• Outreach and Engagement; and
• Scholarly Communications and Open Access initiatives.

The Science and Technology (SciTech) Team is part of the Learning, Research and Engagement (LRE) division of University Libraries and serves the College of Engineering and Computing, the College of Health and Human Services, and the College of Science, as well as several STEM-focused multi-disciplinary university-level institutes. The Computing Librarian position supports teaching and research by providing library instruction, research assistance, collection development, and academic outreach, including research data support and grant writing assistance.

This position will collaborate with the Libraries’ Digital Scholarship Center (DiSC) and the Mason Publishing Group, in the Digital Strategies and Systems (DSS) division, as well as with other library departments more broadly and across the university to support research and data efforts, methods, and tools. This position will support the undergraduate, masters and the doctoral programs in the School of Computing (SoC) within the newly-constituted College of Engineering and Computing. This position will coordinate and designate subject responsibilities with the Engineering Librarian.

This position will also support the interdisciplinary mission of the IDIA and calls on collaborations across university units in a variety of disciplines.

Responsibilities

As an active member of the Science and Technology Team in the Learning, Research, and Education (LRE) division, the Computing Librarian will coordinate, shape, and deliver services by:

• Using outreach strategies for developing relationships with faculty and researchers that optimize the impact of library expertise, services and resources;
• Applying knowledge of trends and tools in computer science to service delivery and design of interdisciplinary projects;
• Developing library collections in relevant disciplines and sub-disciplines and supporting initiatives in open access, open science, and open data;
• Teaching in the library program on critical information and research skills, helping students achieve academic success, and understand the social consequences of how data and information are used, created, and shared;
• Helping researchers find and manage information and data, and critically evaluate and use research tools, platforms, and infrastructure;
• Engaging in systematic, ongoing learning activities to build skills for professional impact and cultural competence; and
• Participating in or leading project teams and fostering team outcomes by using best practice tools and techniques.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited library and information science program or a certified foreign equivalent;
• Two-to-three years of experience working as a Computer Science, IT or STEM Librarian;
• Experience providing library instruction and research support in Computer Science or STEM that support the educational goals of a multicultural population;
• Demonstrated experience with electronic resources and information technologies to support reference, research and collection development in computing, statistics, or other STEM disciplines;
• Experience with collaboration with instructional faculty to help students achieve learning outcomes such as information literacy, written communication, problem solving, creative thinking and integrative learning;
• Coursework and/or experience in relevant computer languages (e.g., R, Python, Java) and different operating systems;
• Development of strategies for doing outreach and building relationships with faculty to deliver high impact services, and capacity to adapt outreach skills to the Mason Libraries context;
• Experience with key information resources in a variety of scientific disciplines, including resources for data discovery, data literacy or library services that support data management and analysis;
• Familiarity with research trends and with ethical, legal, and policy issues in computer science and engineering; and
• Ability to build collaborative and mutually beneficial working relationships with people of varying backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or (strongly preferred) advanced degree in computer science, IT or related field OR significant coursework in those areas;
• Knowledge of data management planning, scholarly communications, and open access concepts and trends;
• Demonstrated ability with one of the following:
  • knowledge of data visualization tools, or
  • proficiency with statistical software, or
  • facility with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software such as ArcGIS.

Appointments/Benefits/Salary/To Apply

12-month professional faculty appointment with rank; health plan options and paid life insurance; several retirement plans, including TIAA-CREF; 24 vacation days and 12 paid holidays; tuition waiver for self.

Salary is commensurate with academic qualifications and professional experience, with minima as follows: Librarian I – $60,000; Librarian II – $65,000; Librarian III – $70,000; Librarian IV – $75,000.

All applications for this position (FA77HZ) MUST be submitted online at George Mason’s employment page (https://jobs.gmu.edu/). Applicants must submit letter of application, resume, and the names, addresses (including e-mail) and phone numbers of three current references. Questions should be directed to Renee Prokop (rprokop@gmu.edu), Human Resources Coordinator, Office of the Dean of Libraries. Review of applications will begin August 30, 2021.

The George Mason University library system, comprised of a large central library and three other distinctive libraries, is located on three campuses in the Northern Virginia-metropolitan Washington, D.C., region. One of Virginia’s leading academic research libraries, the Mason Libraries continues to gain steadily in national stature as it undergoes extensive transformation in all areas that are key to a 21st century research library—innovative technologies and services, expert library faculty and skilled staff members, growing collections, publishing, modern facilities, and transformational partnerships. Visit us at library.gmu.edu for more information.

George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in its community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.